Hermione Granger, Another Life - Year One

The Express

"Katie!" Hermione yelled as she saw her best friend walking at the train station.

"Hermione!" She called back, once she found her. They met mid-way and hugged tight. "How was your Christmas?"

"Crowded." She chuckled. "I'll tell you on the train."

"Lee and Angelina already found us a compartment." She said pointing at one of the windows of the train.

"Great." She turned back to her parents. "Mum, dad, I'll write soon." She hugged them both. "I love you."

"We love you too, sweetheart." Her father whispered. "Now go, before the train leaves."

"Bye!" She called over her shoulder as they walked to the train and tried to heave their trunks on.

"Always in the same predicament, aren't you?" Cedric's voice came above her.

"Seems so." She chuckled. "And you always seem to be my knight in shining armour."

"I try to." He grinned as he pulled both trunks up the train in one go. "Do you need help to find a compartment?"

"No, Angelina and Lee already have one. Thanks Cedric. Again."

"I'll see you around." He waved and walked in the other direction.

Hermione followed Katie through the train, pulling their trunks behind them. Katie pulled open a compartment door and stuck her head in, Hermione doing the same. Lee and Angelina didn't notice them walk in as they were laughing at something on the platform. Katie let go of her trunk and tiptoed behind them.

"What's so funny?" She asked behind Angelina. Lee and Angelina both jumped back from the sudden intrusion.

"Merlin, Katie!" Angelina said, taking in shallow breaths, before pointing outside the window. "Poor Alicia has been stuck talking to Astrix for ten minutes, probably about quidditch tips."

"Poor,  Alicia." She smiled as she went to grab her trunk.

"Let me help, ladies." Lee grinned as he pulled the trunks one by one up on the rack.

"Thanks, Lee." Hermione and Katie said together. Katie dropped down next to Angelina and Hermione sat down next to Lee.

"It seems Alicia made a break for it." Hermione pointed out the window. Alicia had distracted Astrix to a classmate of his before she disappeared on the train, only to emerge at their door a couple of seconds later.

"Hi, all. I really could've used one of the twins bats right now." She sighed as she sat down next to Katie.

"We saw." The rest grinned.

"Where are the twins anyway?" Katie asked looking out the window.

"They always come at the last second." Lee chuckled as he gazed at the clock on the platform. "The train leaves in exact six minutes, so they'll probably arrive in about four minutes."

"Guess again." Two identical voices came from the door. Everyone turned away from the window and gazed at the smirking twins in the doorway.

"Once in 5 years-"

"A Weasley can arrive on time." George finished, pushing his trunk in the rack above her. Fred doing the same on the other side, only with a little more force. "Scoot over, Granger."

Hermione shuffled a bit closer to Lee, so George could take the seat next to her. Fred looked between the two seats, seeing they were full. He considered his options before he flung himself on his twin, sitting on his lap with his back against the wall. Once George stopped shoving him, he made himself comfortable and placed his legs on Hermione's lap. Hermione looked at him with a quirked eyebrow, the red head's grin already in place. She shook her head as Alicia asked her a question.